Here’s a riff on the traditional patty melt, with perfectly cooked chicken breast and a big pile of caramelized onions. This recipe calls for a mixture of yellow onions, red onions, scallions, and fried shallots, but you can use any onions you have on hand.

Based on a Middle Eastern *mujaddara,* a homey mix of spiced simmered lentils and rice, this easy, meatless dish is rich with allspice, cinnamon, and sweet browned leeks. The handful of baby spinach stirred in toward the end turns it into a one-pot meal, and adds a bit of welcome color, too. If you don’t have leeks, use an onion or two instead.